Lifting shoe for media handling and related cassette media holder

ABSTRACT

A system for light-tight handling of a supply of media between a supply station, a workstation and a collecting station, comprises a media handling apparatus defined by a frame and a housing enclosing an internal confine. Within this confine are a supply station and a collecting station disposed at opposite ends of the frame. A positioning drive is suspended above the supply and collecting stations to move media between the supply, collecting and work stations. A lifting shoe is provided as part of the positioning drive and includes a flexible material handling sheet which assumes a first and a second given radius when respectively energized and reverse energized to engage the media supported in curved form. Also, supply and collecting cassettes are provided with a tambour coverings for respectively automatically uncovering and covering the supported media while still maintained in the light-tight confines of the housing.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application relates generally to co-pending U.S. application Ser.No. 08/071,567 filed on Jun. 1, 1993, in the name of Wolfson et al. andentitled SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CURVED FORMED MEDIA AND CASSETTE THEREFORE,which application being commonly assigned to Gerber Systems Corporation,the Assignee of the present invention, which application being herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to improvements to photoplotterequipment, and deals more particularly with improvements made to themedia lifting shoe of a material handling apparatus as well as relatingto improvements in curved form cassettes and associated devices foruncovering an otherwise closed supply cassette in the light-tightconfines of a material handler, and further deals with automaticallycovering a collecting cassette once imaged media are discharged into itwhile still maintained within the light impervious confines of thehandling unit.

In co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/071,567, discussion is madeof handling media of a flexible type, e.g. a photosensitive film, aphotosensitive plate, or the like having a relatively thin thickness ofapproximately on the order of about 0.007 inches, so as to allow themedia sheets to conform to a generally partially cylindrical supportsurface in a plotter. Such curved support surfaces are found indrum-type plotters, such as disclosed in co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 07/839,398 entitled PLOTTER DRUM AND METHODS OFFABRICATION AND ALIGNMENT THEREFORE, filed on Feb. 20, 1992, in the nameof Alan Menard et al. involved using a scanning device which images inraster format a media sheet supported on the drum below it. As such, itshould be understood that the need to move media onto such a curvedsupport surface involves the handling of media sheets in a curved formso that the media can substantially automatically assume theconfiguration of the support surface once transported to the supportsurface during the loading process. Therefore, lifting of the mediasheet from a supply of such media to the support surface must be donewith this in mind. To these ends, the media is thus maintained in curvedform even while stacked in a supply so that individual sheets can belocated on the photoplotter drum in a curved condition. In addition, themedia sheets involved are photosensitive, in some cases reactant to roomlight, and therefore must be contained in a light-tight environment evenwhen stored as a supply as well as when being imaged in thephotoplotter. Thus, it is important that the means by which media sheetsare stored in a light-tight supply container and by which the containeris subsequently uncovered via an uncovering process, always protect thelight-tight integrity of the container.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved media handler of the type which is connectable to pre-existingphotoplotter structure and which handler is capable of advancing mediasheets from a supply of such media located within the handler to a drumplotter and return the imaged media to the handler without exposure toroom light.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improved mediahandling device of the type wherein media having a flexible form issupported to conform it to the general configuration of the supportsurface onto which it will ultimately be placed by engaging it with ashoe which is likewise flexible allowing the shoe to conform to thegiven shape of the media as supported on a support surface.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a light-tightmedia handling system wherein media cassettes are adapted forlight-tight storage either as collecting cassettes or supply cassettes,and are capable of being respectively readily covered and uncoveredwithin the handler without hazard of exposure to room light.

Other objects and aspects of the invention will become more readilyapparent by the below specification and appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention resides in a media handling device of the type employing alifting shoe which depends from a positioning system disposed above asupply of media supported by a frame. The lifting shoe is carried by amovable member depending from and movable by a positioning system alonga central axis. The shoe is comprised of a flexible material handlingsheet connected to the depending member through lateral side actuatormeans and vertical actuator means. The vertical actuator means isconnected to the material handling sheet to move it between an uppermostposition and a lowered position. The material handling sheet hasopposite lateral side portions disposed laterally on either side of acentral axis such that the lateral side actuator means is connected tothe material handling sheet at opposite lateral sides along the centralaxis. The lateral side actuator means and vertical actuator means whenin a first state of energization cause the material handling sheet toassume a first given dimension and when in a second state ofenergization cause the material handling sheet to assume a second stateto energization. The material handling sheet includes holding meansdisposed threreon for holding media in engagement with the materialhandling sheet.

The more broad aspects of the invention involve the light-tight handlingof a supply of media sheets in a housed light-tight system for movementbetween discrete supply, collecting and working positions in a workoperation. For this purpose, the system includes a material handlingapparatus which is supported by a frame and defines thereon a supplystation and a collecting station, each contained within the housing. Afirst cassette is provided and includes a generally arcuate supportingsurface for supporting flexible media in stack form. The first cassettehas means for selective covering and uncovering media which is containedin it and is capaable of being inserted into a first opening formed inthe unit housing, with the first opening including a closure means forclosing the first opening to light. Means associated with the firstopening and supported by the frame are provided for engaging with thesupply cassette and for causing the covering means of this cassette touncover the media after the first opening is closed by the closuremeans. A second opening is formed in housing and is associated with thecollecting station, with the second opening including a closure meansfor closing the second opening to light. The second cassette has acollecting area for collecting imaged media thereon. Drive means areprovided in association with the second opening and are disposed on theframe and on the collecting cassette for causing covering means toautomatically cover the cassette once the second opening is closed bythe associated closure means. Alternatively to the use of a collectingcassette, is the provision of a conveyor cassette which is insertableinto the second opening so as to engage with the drive means and therebycause media to be transported out of the apparatus in in a light-tightenvironment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially fragmentary side elevation view showing the mediahandler embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the media lifting shoe located atthe supply station as seen from the front of the unit with the loadingdoor up.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 showingschematically the cassette uncovering drive mechanisms.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation partially fragmentary view showing the supplycassette apart from the handling apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a partially fragmentary front end view of the cassette shownin FIG. 4 taken along line 5--5.

FIG. 6 is a partially fragmentary top plan view of a collectingcassette.

FIG. 7 is a front vertical view showing a collecting cassette assupported within the handling apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a partially fragmentary top plan view of a conveyor cassettewhich may be used alternatively to the cassette shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a front vertical view of a conveyor cassette of FIG. 8 showninserted within the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a partially fragmentary side elevation view of the drivemechanism provided on the cassettes shown in FIGS. 6 and 8.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of a media handling unitembodying the invention and shown in coupled relation with aphotoplotter.

FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view of the media handling unit ofFIG. 12 with portions of the housing broken away to reveal interiorcomponents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1, 12 and 13 illustrates a media handling unit illustratedgenerally as 2 embodying the invention. The unit 2 includes a frame 4which supports the component parts responsible for operating thehandling process and a housing 8 covering the frame and the internallydisposed parts of the unit. The frame is supported for movement above afloor of, for example, a processing facility, allowing the unit 2 to berolled into place and coupled to a photoplotter P, as shown in FIG. 12.The frame 4, as seen from above looking in plan view, defines agenerally rectangular structure, having its elongate extent defined byopposite end faces 3 and 5 of the housing disposed spatially along acentral axis A. The photoplotter may be one such as disclosed inco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/839,398 entitled PLOTTERDRUM AND METHODS OF FABRICATION AND ALIGNMENT THEREFOR, which product issold by Gerber Systems Corporation under the tradename CRESCENT/30.Photoplotters of this type utilize a drum support onto which flexiblemedia M having a thickness on the order of about 0.007 inch is imaged.The relatively thin nature of the imaged media, which for purposes ofdiscussion, includes photosensitive films or plates, allows it to bestored, handled and supported during imaging in curved form.

The unit 2, as seen in FIG. 13, includes basically the housing 8; withinthe housing 8, a curved media supply cassette 31 and a curved liftingshoe 36 both extending along the axis A; and a media collecting stationhaving a media collecting cassette 122. The lifting shoe is movablealong the axis A between the position shown by the solid lines at 36 andthe two positions shown in broken lines and indicated at 36' and 36". Inthe position shown at 36' the lifting shoe is located above the workstation of the photoplotter P when the unit 2 is coupled to thephotoplotter P as shown in FIG. 12, said work station being indicated atW in FIG. 13. When in the position shown at 36 the lifting shoe ispositioned above the collecting cassette 122, and when in the positionshown at 36" the lifting shoe is above the supply cassette 31. Asexplained hereinafter in detail, the lifting shoe includes means forlifting a media sheet from the supply cassette 31 when the shoe is inthe 36" position and for then depositing the sheet onto the work stationof the photoplotter P after the shoe is moved to the 36' position. Thelifting shoe is then retracted to the position shown at 36. Then afterthe sheet has been exposed by the photoplotter P the lifting shoe isreturned to the 36' position, the media sheet is lifted from thephotoplotter work station by the shoe, the shoe is returned to theposition shown at 36, and the media sheet is then released by the shoeand dropped into the collecting cassette 122.

The media handling unit 2 is covered by the housing 8 against lightpenetration, but its interior space is nevertheless made accessible bythree major closable openings formed in the housing. The first of theseopenings is provided in the one end face 3 and illustrated as 14. Thisopening opens to a supply station 30 disposed on the frame 4 forreceiving and supporting a supply cassette 31 at this location. Avertically slidable light-tight door 20 is provided in association withthe opening 14 and is trained to move vertically within tracks disposedalong either side edge of the opening 14. A second opening 18 is formedin one side panel of the housing 8 and opens to a collecting station 32located generally adjacent the other end face 5 of the housing, whichcollecting station serves to receive and support a collecting module inthe form of either a collecting cassette 122 or collecting conveyorcassette 124. The second opening is covered by a swinging door 24 whichis connected to the housing by a hinge 26 extending in the indicated Aaxis direction. A third opening 15 is formed in the other end face 5 ofthe housing in line with the A axis and opens to a connecting tunnel 16through which a media sheet M is transported, and which tunnel endengages the front face of the plotter with a light-tight seal.

The frame 4 supports a positioning drive system 28 above the supply andcollecting stations 30 and 32 such that a lifting shoe carriage 34included as part of the system, is controllably moved along the centralaxis A to effect handling of a media sheet from the supply station 30 tothe coupled photoplotter, and back to the collecting station 32. Asdiscussed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/071,567, thepositioning system includes a controller 29 which is linked to systemcomponents, such as, drive motors, actuators and sensors, responsiblefor controlling the movements of the carriage 34 along the A axis. Thepositioning system also includes a track 35 having a movable lengthextendible from within the handling unit 2 outwardly thereof and intothe coupled photoplotter above the drum support therein. Thus, thelifting shoe carriage 34 is moved along the track 35,35 to locate it atdiscrete positions therealong corresponding, respectively, to positionsimmediately over the supply and collecting stations 30 and 32, and abovethe photoplotter drum.

The lifting shoe carriage 34 carries a depending member 38 to which isattached a flexible lifting shoe 36 controllably movable betweenvertically and radially retracted and extended positions for the purposeof handling individual media sheets in curved form. To these ends, asillustrated in FIG. 2, the lifting shoe 36 is comprised of a rectangularmaterial handling sheet 37, preferably formed from aluminum, having athickness equal to about 0.032 inch, and includes a plurality of suctionmeans 60,60 disposed on the outer surface thereof for gripping andholding a media sheet M in place on the handling sheet 37. The liftingshoe further includes a vertical actuator means 40, and two lateral sideactuator means 42,42 each of which actuator means being connectedbetween the material handling sheet 37 and the depending member 38. Eachof the side actuator means 42,42 and the vertical actuator means is apneumatically controlled double-acting device and each is controllablymoved between extended and retracted positions by the controlledintroduction of pressurized air into, for example, inlets 54,54 and52,52, respectively. One end of each of the side actuators 42,42connects to the depending member 38 through a pivot connection 53,53with the opposite ends of which actuators being defined by slidingpiston rods 48,48, the free ends of which connect to the back face ofthe material handling sheet 37 at pivot connections 50,50. The sideactuator means 42,42 act through the openings 46,46 formed on eitherside of the depending member 38 to effect such pivot connections.

The vertical actuator means 40 is connected at its top end to thetransom portion of the depending member 38 and connects to the materialhandling sheet 37 at its lower opposite end through a connecting bracket56 which is secured to the actuator means 40 with bolts or the like, andis fixed to the handling sheet 37 by a weldement. The vertical actuatormeans 40 is a two-part assembly, with each part being slidable relativeto the other and each is respectively connected to one of the handlingsheet 37 and the depending member 38, and is commercially sold by SMCunder model number MGQM 32-50-Z805. Also, the energization and reverseenergization of the actuator means 40, and 42,42 is controlled bysolenoid valves driven by the control unit 29 under a known controlscheme.

Vacuum pressure is provided from a vacuum source (not shown) locatedremotely of the lifting shoe 36 and is introduced to the shoe through amain vacuum line 62 which is connected to the source and attaches to theshoe at the depending member 38. The suction means 60,60 is connected tothe main vacuum line 62 through the intermediary of a vacuum parser 64which is likewise mounted to the member 38 and communicates with thesuction means 60,60 through a plurality of local lines 66,66. The locallines 66,66 are connected to discrete rows of suction elements 70,70,72,72 and 74,74, which rows are arranged in a direction parallel to theA axis direction on the material handling sheet 37. The materialhandling sheet 37 is perforated at points coinciding with the placementof the suction elements such that vacuum pressure communicates throughthe lifting sheet and acts on the confronting media sheet. Each of thesuction elements is made from a flexible rubber material and is of abellows configuration so that upon contact with the media sheet M, thesuction member axially collapses thereby drawing the media sheet into amore proximate spatial relationship with the handling sheet 37. The rows70,70, 72,72 and 74,74 are arranged with respect to each other in pairssymmetrically about the A axis, with the row of each pair correspondinggenerally to a different width dimension of a media sheet which iscontained in the cassette 31 located at the supply station 30. Theparser is a multi-valve unit having a selector 76 which is manually setby the operator prior to a handling operation to introduce vacuum to oneor all of the row pairs depending on the width of the media to behandled. For example, if a media sheet M of the smallest width is used,then the selector 76 will be set such that only the suction elements ofthe row pair 74,74 are vacuum energized, but if a media sheet of thelargest width is used, then the selector will be set such that thesuction elements of each row pair are energized.

As illustrated schematically in FIG. 2, the cassette 31 is supportedbelow the handling lifting shoe 36 on the frame 4 such that when theshoe is moved to a position in the supply station 30, the suction means60 of the drum and the supply of media M are in close proximity to oneanother. In this condition, the handling sheet 37 assumes a first givenradius corresponding to the condition where the actuator means 40 and42,42 are reverse-energized. At this point, vacuum pressure isintroduced to the main vacuum line 62 and delivered to the designatedones of the suction means 60,60. In the process of loading media from asupply contained in the cassette 31, the vertical actuator means 40 isfirst. energized causing the handling sheet 37 to move downward intoengagement with the topmost media sheet supported in the cassette 31.Thereafter, the side actuators are energized to move the upwardly turnedend portions of the lifting sheet 37 radially outwardly and thus causethe suction means 60,60 to be brought into engagement with the media. Inthis condition, the lifting sheet 37 assumes a second given radiuscorresponding to that assumed by the topmost media sheet in the supplycontained in the cassette 31. By way of illustration, the supportsurface provided by the supply cassette 31 has a radius of curvature ofabout 10.5 inches as taken from the center of curvature R. The controlunit 29 interrogates vacuum pressure sensors disposed in the local lines66,66 to determine whether all the designated suction elements aresealed by engaging with the media, and will issue an error condition ifan open vacuum circuit is detected. If no such error condition is foundto exist, then the side actuator means 42,42 are reverse-energizedfollowed by the reverse energization of the vertical actuator means 40thereby lifting the involved media sheet from the cassette. Transport ofthe now held media sheet to the photoplotter is effected in the mannerdiscussed in the aforementioned co-pending U.S. application Ser. No.08/071,567 filed on Jun. 1, 1993, in the name of Wolfson et al. andentitled SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CURVED FORMED MEDIA AND CASSETTE. Once overthe drum support in the photoplotter, vacuum is applied to the drumsurface and the actuator means are energized to articulate the handlingsheet 37 to its second given radius in the manner discussed above.Vacuum is thereafter stopped to the main line 62 thereby allowing themedia to be freely held by the drum support of the photoplotter. Thelifting shoe carriage 34 and the track extension are thereafterretracted from the photoplotter, and imaging of the media then occurs.After imaging, the carriage 34 is returned to within the photoplotterand pick-up of the imaged media is effected in the same manner discussedabove with reference to the pick up of media in the supply cassette,only that the vacuum to the drum in the photoplotter is stopped beforelifting of the media occurs. The lifting shoe carriage 34 with the heldexposed media are then moved to the discharge station where they arepositioned over a cassette 122 or a conveyor cassette 124, whereupon themedia sheet is dropped either by stopping vacuum to the main vacuum line62, or first articulating the handling sheet to its second given radiusand then stopping vacuum. The process is then repeated with the movingof the lifting shoe carriage 34 into the start position above the supplycassette 31.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, and to the supply cassette in particular, itshould be seen that the supply cassette 31 is comprised of first andsecond end caps 80 and 82 each being defined by an end cover plate 77,77connected lengthwise together by a sheet of rigid material 84, such as,aluminum, defining the shell of the cassette. The stack of media whichcomprise the supply rests on the upper surface of the shell 84 and arecentered relative to the central axis A by end pieces 118,118 whichadjustably connect to the shell along opposite side edges of the stackof media sheets. The end caps each include a base portion 120 which iscorrespondingly sized and shaped to be received within ways 121,121secured to the frame 4 and extending in the indicated A axis direction.These ways insure the proper seating of the cassette laterally relativeto the A axis. Formed as part of each of the end caps 80 and 82 is aninner lip 85 and an outer lip 83 which are spaced from one another todefine with the cover plate 77,77 a track 86 therebetween opening to theinterior confines of the cassette and surrounding the juncture whereeach end of the shell 84 connect to the respective ones of the end coverplates 77,77 of each end cap. A tambour covering is provided and extendsacross the cassette between the opposed cover plates 77,77 such that themarginal side edge portions 91,91 thereof are received within each track86,86 of the two end caps 80 and 82. The tambour cover is commerciallysold by ROTALAC under model No R-2342. Rotatably journalled within eachof the upwardly turned end portions of the end caps 80,82 are twosprockets 92 and 94 which are commonly drivingly connectingly to thecorresponding sprockets of the opposed end cap 80,82 by shafts 96 and 98which extend therebetween the entire length of the cassette. Thesprockets 92 and 94 are so journalled on the end caps as to interruptthe otherwise continuous inner lip 85,85 of the track 86 so as toproject beyond this lip and engage between the hinged units which makeup the cover 90. As such, a driving connection is achieved between thecover 90 and the sprockets 92 and 94.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the cassette 31 has a leading edge 101 whichincludes an engagement means 110 for drivingly coupling with the shaft98 to uncover the cassette. The means 110 includes for this purpose aninterdigitating end piece 99 formed on the proximate end of the shaft98, a locating collar 97 connected for rotatation with the shaft 98 anda frustoconical opening 112 formed in the front face of the collar toeffect proper seating of a correspondingly interdigitated drive piece106 which is part of a drive means 100 mounted to the frame 4 by abracket 102. This means includes an A.C. drive motor 104, an appropriategear drive mechanism drivingly connected to the motor and including adrive output, and a flexible coupling member 108 connected between thedrive motor output and the drive piece 106. The drive means 100 ismounted to the frame 4 so as to orient the drive member 106 insubstantial parallel relationship with the axis A. This is importantbecause the cassette 31 is loaded into the handling unit 2 through theopening 14, after the door 20 has been raised, and is pushed along theways 121 in the direction of the A axis until the cassette locks inplace through the action of a spring biased detent 125 secured to theframe 4 and coacting with a recess formed on the lower surface of thecassette 31. The location of the detent 125 is such that locking occurscoincidentally with the engagement of the interdigitated parts 106 and99. The mating of these parts is aided by the somewhat compliantcharacteristic of the flexible coupling 108.

In use, a covered cassette 31 with a supply of media M contained in itis loaded into the handling unit 2 until locking by the detent 125 isachieved. Media may be loaded in a dark room, for example, andthereafter the cassette 31 is covered using a manual knob 114 to movethe cover back to its home position. In its covered condition, the cover90 extends non-interruptedly between the sprockets 92 and 94 such thatwhen the sprocket 94 is rotated in the clockwise direction, the lengthof the cover 90 is driven past it, and is maintained within the lengthof the track 86 disposed most radially outwardly of the center ofcurvature R. With the cassette 31 now positioned within the handlingunit 2, the door 20 is closed and its closure is checked by thecontroller 29 against a sensor 126 disposed on the frame 4 and providedfor this purpose. Once closure of the door is sensed and confirmed, thecontroller 29 then causes the drive means to be activated, thus causingthe shaft 98 through its engagement with the drive part 106 to berotated in a clockwise direction to uncover the otherwise enclosedmedia. Disposed on the outer surface of the cover 90 at its trailingend, i.e. the end associated with the sprocket 92, is a magnetic piecewhich is moved along with the cover during the uncovering process past asensor located adjacent the right sprocket 94. The controller 29 throughinterrogating this sensor, stops the drive motor 104 upon sensing themagnet at the point where the cassette 31 is uncovered.

It is a feature of the invention to provide a collecting cassettestation which can cover or transport imaged media sheets from within thelight-tight confines of the unit outwardly without being accidentallyexposed to stray light. To these ends, the frame 4 supports asubstantially planar horizontally disposed receiving surface 129associated with the collecting station 32 having two parallel spacedguide members 128,128 disposed thereon. These guide members receivecorrespondingly sized and shaped ways 127,127 disposed as a pair alongthe bottom surface 131 of each of the collecting cassette 122 andconveyor cassette 124. In this way, each of the cassettes 122 and 124 ismaintained in a substantially horizontal disposition while supported bythe frame 4 within the unit.

Referring first to the collecting cassette 122 as an alternative for useat the station 32, it should be seen that the collecting cassette asshown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is a generally rectangular member having longsides 130,130 which extend orthogonally to the central axis A and hasshort sides 132,132 extending in a direction parallel to the axis A. Thelong and short sides 130 and 132 are connecting at right angles tocreate a collecting area 134 within the cassette to contain media sheetsM which are dropped from the lifting shoe 36 in a manner which isdiscussed above. The collecting area 134 is defined by a collecting tray138, which is supported by the opposed long sides 130,130 approximatelymid-height of the cassette. Disposed on opposite top and bottom sides ofthe collecting tray 138 on the opposed long sides 130,130 of thecassette 122 is a track 136,136 extending in a direction orthogonally tothe longitudinal axis A of the media handler. Each track receives theassociated marginal side edge portions of a lambour covering 140 whichis received within the track 136 for movement of the covering in theuncovering direction U. To effect such uncovering, a drive shaft 142 isprovided and is journalled at its opposite ends in the opposed long sidewalls 130,130 for rotation about the indicated axis R1. Disposed atspaced intervals along the length of the drive shaft 142 are twosprockets 144,144 having teeth that engage between the hinge linkages ofthe individual tambour units.

It is a feature of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, toprovide a means by which the tambour cover 140 of the collectingcassette 122 can be moved to cover the collecting area 134 after theexposed media sheets have been discharged to the collecting station andwhile the handling unit remains impervious to light. This means includesa drive motor 150 supported by the frame 4 and connected to a drive gear152 mounted to the frame 4 for rotation about the indicated axis Z,which, in the illustrated embodiment, extends parallel to the main axisA of the unit. Each collecting cassette 122 or cassette conveyor 124includes a supporting drive structure 151 containing a complementarydriven gear 154 which is nonrotatably mounted to a primary driven shaft156 freely rotatably journalled in the outer wall of the proximate oneof the long side walls 130,130 and within the structure 151 for rotationabout a second axis Z'. Disposed non-rotatably about the primary shaft156 is a first toothed pulley 158 which is drivingly rotatably coupledto the shaft 142 through the intermediary of a second toothed pulley 160and a toothed belt 162.

The drive gear 152 is positioned below the lower surface 131 of thecassette 122 or the conveyor cassette 124 and the driven gear 154 so asto be automatically intermeshed the gear teeth of the driven gear 154when the cassette or the cassette conveyor is inserted through theopening 18 in a direction transversely to the longitudinal axis A of themedia handler. The then intermeshed gears 152 and 154 are caused toremain in an engaging condition by a spring operated detent 164 which iscaused to engage in a corresponding recess 166 formed in the drivestructure 151.

Referring back to FIGS. 8 and 9, and in particular to the conveyorcassette 124 which may be used in place of the standard cassette 122, itshould be seen that the conveyor cassette 124 is inserted into thehandler unit in the same way as discussed with respect to the collectingcassette 122, but that the conveyor cassette 124 differs in its lengthL' which exceeds that length L of the collecting cassette by an amountequal to approximately the length of an extension part 170. Theextension part 170 is provided for the purpose of using the conveyorcassette in conjunction with an automated processor which moves thedeveloped media off the part 170 and onto a section of conveyor in alight-tight tunnel. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the side panel of theunit opposite that in which the opening 18 is formed, further includesan encasement box 172 which is sealingly attached to the outer surfaceof the involved side panel of the housing 8. The box covers a fourthopening 174 formed in the side panel of the unit with the containmentbox 172 itself comprising a light tight door 176 which is hingedlyconnected at 178 to swing in a vertical direction between an open andthe illustrated close position. It should be seen that the conveyorcassette 124 does not utilize a tambour cover, but instead comprises aplurality of transversely extending idler shafts 180,180 which aredrivingly coupled to one another by a system of support belts 184,184nonrotatably connected to the primary shaft 142. The primary shaft 142is driven in a similar manner discussed with reference to FIGS. 10 and11 by the drive means 150. Power transmissions between the primary shaft142 and the remaining transverse idler shafts 180,180 is effectedthrough the plurality of support belts 184,184 trained about pulleys186,186 which are nonrotatably secured to respective ones of the driveshafts 142 and 180,180. It is the support belts 184,184 which themselvesare responsible for conveying the media out of the unit 2.

In use, either the collecting cassette or the conveyor 124 is insertedinto the opening 18 and the light tight door 24 is then closed behindit. In the case where the conveyor cassette is used, the door 176 mustfirst be open to allow the extension part 170 of the conveyor cassetteto protrude outwardly of the handling unit. The length of the cassetteis approximately 36.5 inches, whereas the length of the conveyorcassette is about 58.3 inches with the difference between the length Land the length L' being sufficient to extend the end of the conveyorcassette outwardly of the unit. In the case where the conveyor cassetteis used, the containment box 172 is connected with an appropriate tunnelof an automated processor to complete the light-tight integrity of themachine. Thereafter, a plotting operation commences with the resultbeing that the media M is sequentially moved and developed from thesupply station 30 and deposited at the collecting station 32. Dependingon the type of collecting cassette used, i.e. whether a collectingcassette 122 or the conveyor type 24 is used, the drive means 150 iseither continuously activated in the case of the conveyor type 124 or iscontrollably energized by the controller 29 after a job is completed tocause the drive gear 152 to rotate in a counterclockwise directionthereby causing rotation of the drive sprockets 144,144 in a clockwisedirection to move the tambour cover 140 to a covering condition from itsotherwise uncovered condition where the tambour cover is maintainedbelow the tray 138.

By the foregoing, a system for handling media in a light-tightenvironment is disclosed by the way of preferred embodiment. Howevernumerous modifications and substitutions may be had without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. For example, the spacing between thesuction elements 60,60 of the flexible shoe may be varied in arrangementand in size depending on the application of the media at hand.

Accordingly, the application has been described by way of illustrationrather than limitation.

We claim:
 1. A system for offering light-tight handling of a supplymedia from a supply station to a work station and to a collectingstation, said system comprising:a media handling apparatus having aframe and a housing enclosing an internal confine defining a supplystation and a collecting station disposed at opposite ends of saidframe; said handling apparatus also having a positioning drive meansdisposed above said supply, work and collecting stations to move mediabetween said supply station, said collecting station, and said workstation; a supply cassette having a generally cylindrical upwardlyconvex supporting surface for supporting flexible media in a stack ofsuch media in a curved form, said supply cassette having a coveringmeans for selectively covering and uncovering media which is containedtherein; a first opening formed in said housing of said unit forreceiving said supply cassette therein, said first opening including aclosure means for closing said first opening to light; first drive meansassociated with said first opening and supported by said frame forengaging with said supply cassette and operable to cause said coveringmeans to uncover the media in said supply cassette after said firstopening is closed by said closure means; a collecting module forreceiving media transferred from said work station to said collectingstation by said handling apparatus, said collecting module includingdrivable means, a second opening formed in said housing and associatedwith said collecting station for receiving said collecting module, saidsecond opening including a closure means for closing said second openingto light; and second drive means associated with said second opening anddisposed on said frame for engaging with and driving said drivable meansof said collecting module when said collecting module is positioned atsaid collecting station.
 2. A system as defined in claim 1 furthercharacterized in that said collecting module is a conveyor cassette saiddrivable means of which is a conveyor for conveying media from saidcollecting station out of said unit through a third opening formed insaid housing;said second and third openings being disposed in line withone another.
 3. A system as defined in claim 2 further characterizedby:said conveyor cassette including an extension part extending awayfrom said collecting station to transfer media deposited on saidconveyor cassette at said collecting station by said handling unit to alocation remote from said collecting station.
 4. A system as defined inclaim 1 further characterized in that said collecting module is acollecting cassette including a tray for receiving media transferredfrom said work station to said collecting station by said handlingapparatus, said drivable means being a cover drivably movable betweencovering and uncovering positions with respect to media received by saidtray.
 5. A system as defined in claim 4 further characterized by:saidcover being a tambour member; said tray having first and seconddimensions; said cassette further including first and second opposedside walls spaced from one another by said first dimension of said tray,and third and fourth opposed side walls spaced from one another by saidsecond dimension of said tray; said first and second side walls eachincluding track means extending along the length thereof for receivingthe marginal edges of said tambour cover member; said tambour covermember being of such a length as to be capable of extending between saidthird and fourth side walls to cover said tray from stray light; andmeans included in said collecting cassette for drivingly connecting saidtambour cover member with said second drive means for moving saidtambour cover member along said track means between covering anduncovering positions relative to media received by said tray.
 6. Asystem as defined in claim 1 further characterized by:said supplycassette including a first end cap and a second end cap each of whichfirst and second end caps are defined by a cover plate and inner andouter lips together defining a track therebetween opening to theinterior confines of the supply cassette and having first and secondfree ends; said first and second end caps each being connected to oneanother by a sheet of rigid material defining the shell of the supplycassette, said shell interconnecting said first and second end caps toone another; said covering means of said supply cassette being a tambourmember received within said tracks of said first and second end caps andextending entirely therebetween; and said first drive means being meansrotatably disposed at the first and second ends of said end caps suchthat said tambour member is trained around each of said means to causethe tambour member to be driven from a covering condition to anuncovering condition with respect to media received by said supplycassette.
 7. A system for offering light-tight handling of a supply ofmedia from a supply station to a work station and to a collectingstation, said system comprising:a media handling apparatus having aframe and a housing enclosing an internal confine defining a supplystation and a collecting station disposed at opposite ends of saidframe; said handling apparatus also having a positioning drive meansdisposed above said supply, work and collecting stations to move mediabetween said supply station, said collecting station, and said workstation; said handling apparatus further having a lifting shoe and amovable member movable by said positioning drive means along ahorizontal axis and depending from said positioning drive means intoconnection with said shoe; said shoe including a flexible materialhandling sheet connected to said depending movable member throughlateral side actuator means and vertical actuator means so as to have agenerally cylindrical upwardly convex curved form about a horizontalaxis, said vertical actuator means being connected to said materialhandling sheet to move it between a raised position and a loweredposition, said material handling sheet having opposite lateral sidesdisposed laterally on either side of said horizontal axis, said lateralside actuator means being connected to said material handling sheet atsaid opposite lateral sides thereof, said lateral side actuator meansand said vertical actuator means when in a first state of energizationcausing the material handling sheet to assume a first given shape andwhen in a second state of energization causing the material handlingsheet to assume a second shape, and holding means disposed on saidmaterial handling sheet for holding media in engagement with saidmaterial handling sheet; a supply cassette having a generallycylindrical upwardly convex supporting surface for supporting flexiblemedia in a stack of such media in a curved form generally similar tosaid curved form of said flexible material handling sheet of saidlifting shoe, said supply cassette having a first end cap and a secondend cap each of which first and second end caps are defined by a coverplate and inner and outer lips together defining a track therebetweenopening to the interior confines of the cassette and each of said firstand end caps having first and second free ends, said first and secondend caps each being connected to one another by a sheet of rigidmaterial defining the shell of the cassette, said shell interconnectingsaid first and second end caps to one another, said shell providing saidsupporting surface, a tambour cover received within said tracks of saidfirst and second end caps and extending entirely therebetween, and meansrotatably disposed at each of the first and second free ends of each ofsaid end caps such that the tambour cover is trained around each of saidrotatably disposed means to allow the tambour cover to be driven from acovering condition to a non-covering condition; a first opening formedin said housing for receiving said supply cassette therein, said firstopening including a closure means for closing said first opening tolight; first drive means associated with said first opening andsupported by said frame for engaging with said supply cassette andoperable to drive said means rotatably disposed at the first and secondfree ends of said first and second end caps to drive said tambour coverfrom a covering condition to a non-covering condition to uncover themedia in said supply cassette after said first opening is closed by saidclosure means; a collecting module for receiving media transferred fromsaid work station to said collecting station by said handling apparatus,said collecting module including a tray having first and seconddimensions, first and second opposed side walls spaced from one anotherby said first dimension of said tray, third and fourth opposed sidewalls spaced from one another by said second dimension of said tray,said first and second side walls each including track means extendingalong the length thereof for receiving the marginal side edges of acover means, said cover means being received in the track means of saidfirst and second side walls so as to extend between said third andfourth side walls to cover said tray from stray light, and drive meansassociated with one of said first and second side walls and connected tosaid cover means to cause movement of the cover means over said tray toeffect covering of exposed media in said collecting cassette; a secondopening formed in said housing and associated with said collectingstation for receiving said collecting module, said second openingincluding a closure means for closing said second opening to light; andsecond drive means associated with said second opening and disposed onsaid frame for engaging with and driving said drivable means of saidcollecting module when said collecting module is positioned at saidcollecting station.